Masonic Lodge NO. 865 A.F. & A.M. - Bay City, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 28° 58.984 W 095° 58.240
15R E 210541 N 3209746
Shortly after the granting of the dispensation, the lodge was instituted by DDGM J.J. Davis of Galveston. Records as to the exact date were lost in the 1909 hurricane which severely damaged the Masonic building. The charter was dated 12/4/1902.
Waymark Code: WMRRA2
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 07/28/2016
Views: 1
Rootsweb Ancestry Website
A petition for the dispensation to form a lodge in Bay City was presented to the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas, William Clark, in April 1902.
On April 13, 1902, the Grand Master issued his dispensation authorizing the said brethren to organize a lodge and confer the degrees of the Blue Lodge at Bay City, known as Bay City Lodge No. 865 A.F.& A.M.
The first lodge meetings were held on the second floor of a two-story wooden building, which housed a saloon on the first floor.
In July, 1906 the lodge purchased their own property. In a matter of six months their two-story brick building was completed. It has elaborate brick corbelling and arched second story windows.
On 9-11-1961 Hurricane Carla caused damage to the then 50 year old lodge building. The building was repaired and the brethren set out to construct a new building.
The new building was completed in January 1963 and the lodge moved to the new building.